System and method for retrieving related certificates

Abstract

A system and method for searching and retrieving certificates, which may be used in the processing of encoded messages. In one embodiment, all certificates related to an identified certificate are retrieved from the certificate servers automatically by the certificate synchronization application, where the related certificates comprise at least one of one or more CA certificates and one or more cross-certificates. Embodiments described herein facilitate at least partial automation of the downloading and establishment of certificate chains, thereby minimizing the need for users to manually search for individual certificates.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of searching and retrieving certificates for use in the processing of an encoded message, said method comprising:
 receiving a message comprising an end entity certificate; 
 performing a search on a certificate server, wherein at least one query is submitted by an application executing on a computing device to the certificate server to request retrieval of all certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates issued by a certificate issuer of one organization that are stored on the certificate server and are related to the end entity certificate, automatically in response to receiving the message, wherein each of said certificate authority certificates is issued to a certificate issuer within said organization, and wherein each of said cross-certificates is issued to a certificate issuer of a different organization; and 
 retrieving the certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates and storing on the computing device the certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising downloading the end entity certificate and all certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates related to the end entity certificate to a mobile device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising storing the end entity certificate and all certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates related to the end entity certificate on the mobile device. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the certificate server comprises an LDAP server. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a desktop computer. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a mobile device. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a message management server or a message server. 
     
     
       8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable instructions, the instructions, which when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the processor to perform acts of a method of searching and retrieving certificates for use in the processing of an encoded message, said acts comprising:
 receiving a message comprising an end entity certificate; 
 performing a search on a certificate server, wherein at least one query is submitted by an application executing on the computing device to the certificate server to request retrieval of all certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates issued by a certificate issuer of one organization that are stored on the certificate server and are related to the end entity certificate, automatically in response to receiving the message, wherein each of said certificate authority certificates is issued to a certificate issuer within said organization, and wherein each of said cross-certificates is issued to a certificate issuer of a different organization; and 
 retrieving the certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates and storing on the computing device the certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates. 
 
     
     
       9. The medium of  claim 8 , wherein the acts further comprise downloading the end entity certificate and all certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates related to the end entity certificate to a mobile device. 
     
     
       10. The medium of  claim 9 , wherein the acts further comprise storing the end entity certificate and all certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates related to the end entity certificate on the mobile device. 
     
     
       11. The medium of  claim 8 , wherein the certificate server comprises an LDAP server. 
     
     
       12. The medium of  claim 8 , wherein the computing device comprises a desktop computer. 
     
     
       13. The medium of  claim 8 , wherein the computing device comprises a mobile device. 
     
     
       14. The medium of  claim 8 , wherein the computing device comprises a message management server or a message server. 
     
     
       15. A system for searching and retrieving certificates comprising a processor of a computing device configured to:
 receive a message comprising an end entity certificate; 
 perform a search on a certificate server, wherein at least one query is submitted by an application executing on the computing device to the certificate server to request retrieval of all certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates issued by a certificate issuer of one organization that are stored on the certificate server and are related to the end entity certificate, automatically in response to receiving the message, wherein each of said certificate authority certificates is issued to a certificate issuer within said organization, and wherein each of said cross-certificates is issued to a certificate issuer of a different organization; and 
 retrieve the certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates and store on the computing device the certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to download the end entity certificate and all certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates related to the end entity certificate to a mobile device. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to store the end entity certificate and all certificate authority certificates and cross-certificates related to the end entity certificate on the mobile device. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the certificate server comprises an LDAP server. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the computing device comprises a desktop computer. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the computing device comprises a mobile device. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the computing device comprises a message management server or a message server.